Collapsible compartmented dispensing container



Aug. 15, 1967 T. R. REEVES. JR

COLLAPSIBLE COMPARTMBNTED DISPENSING CONTAINER Original Filed April 16, 1962 INVENT OR V58, JR.

THOMAS RQSISER REE ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,335,912 COLLAPSIBLE COMPARTMENTED DISPENSING CONTAINER Thomas Rosser Reeves, Jr., Larchmont, N.Y. Colgate- Palmolive, 300 Park Ave., New York, N.Y. 10022) Continuation of abandoned application Ser. No. 508,253, Nov. 17, 1965, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 187,769, Apr. 16, 1962. This application Nov. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 591,649

3 Claims. (Cl. 22294) This is a continuation of my copending application Ser. No. 508,253 filed Nov. 17, 1965, for Fluoride-Dentifrice Composition, Process and Apparatus for Dispensing the Same, said application Ser. No. 508,253 being a continuation of my application Ser. No. 187,769, filed Apr. 16, 1962. Both of the above mentioned applications are now abandoned.

This invention relates to a novel container structure for the predetermined concomitant dispensing of a plurality of fluent material such as dentifrice compositions that are isolated within the container prior to dispensing. These compositions may for example be new and useful fluoride-containing compositions that will release combined fluorides and/0r fluoride ions only when brought into contact.

More specifically, the invention in its preferred embodiment comprises a compartmented toothpaste tube which is adapted to hold separately two (or more) distinct dentifrice compounds (each of which is reactive and/or otherwise non-compatible with the other) and to expel these compounds into mutual contact at substantially the same time so that they are mixed together in definite, predetermined proportions just before they are applied to the teeth.

It is the major object of the invention to provide a novel compartmented flexible tube structure especially adapted to isolate incompatible materials, such as acidic components and certain therapeutic alkaline components of toothpaste, and to expel these materials substantially simul taneously into mixing contact in definite predetermined proportions.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds in connection with the appended claims and the annexed drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation partially broken away and in section showing a toothpaste tube structure according to one embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURES 2 and 3 are similar views showing two other structural embodiments of the invention.

It is presently recognized that the presence of certain soluble fluoride compounds (e.g. sodium fluoride, stannous fluoride, stannous monochloromonofluoride, stannous monochlorotrifluride, etc.) in toothpaste only partially reduce the incidence of dental caries. Therefore, any additional compound which has been recognized as an anti caries agent-acting via means which difler from the mode of action of fluoride compoundswould be a most valuable addition to the anti-caries potential of fluoride dentifrices.

Also, the fluoride toothpastes presently offered to the public have a number of disadvantages. One drawback is that the active fluoride compounds in such toothpastes tend to react with other necessary components of toothpaste. Such reaction of fluorides, of course, renders the fluoride ions and/ or fluorine molecules substantially unavailable as effective anti-caries agents after the toothpaste has been stored for but an extremely short period of time. This tendency for the fluoride to become rapidly inactivated and rendered unavailable is for example recognized in United States Patent No. 2,876,166.

Thus, whether or not the fluoride in toothpastes is stabilized with such common materials as stannous metaphos- 3,335,912 Patented Aug. 15, 1967 2 phate, stannous pyrophosphate, stannous tartrate, stannous citrate, and/or stannous male'ate, etc., it has been found in practise that the resulting fluoride composition rapidly loses its effectiveness in the presence of such materials as ammoniated compounds, calcium phosphates, urea, and certain of the more favored flavoring agents. Also, United States Patent No. 2,749,278 distinctly discloses that acid fluorides react with colloidal silica-containing abrasives to a marked extent and also with certain alkaline compounds needed in all toothpastes. This renders a major proportion of the fluorine substantially non-available for its intended purpose, while at the same time, causing objectionable stiffening and caking of the toothpaste within the usual tube.

Also, in the past, it has been necessary to heat-treat calcium phosphate polishing agents at about 300 to 1500 C. to increase fluoride-compatibility of these agents. Such a heat-treatment step is manifestly not only costly but time consuming. Nonetheless, non-heat treated calcium phosphates, especially dicalciurn orthophosphate, is among the most popular of dentifrice polishing agents.

Furthermore, a highly preferred toothpaste-polishing agent Kaopolite (LS. kaolinite,Al O -2H O-2SiO cannot be used at present in fluoride toothpastes due to fluoride-silica (fluoride-$0 reactions. These reactions not only de-activate the fluoride ionsbut also change the characteristics of the kaolinite by causing particles of kaolinite to adhere together in clumps. Kaolinite is a unique polishing agent in that 96% of it may be comminuted into 2 micron size or smaller-whereby to preclude grittiness. Indeed, even 3 micron kaolinite feels like talcbut, unlike talc, has tremendous polishing power. The presence of fluorides raises the micron size to an extent that the toothpaste either is chalky and/or is drastically altered in polishing power.

Finally, toothpaste containing milk of magnesia cannot be used at all in the case of added fluorides, although milk of magnesia may often be a desirable compound in toothpaste. Therefore, all of the presently available fluoride dentifrices leave much to be desired.

In accordance with the present invention, going disadvantages are overcome by providing a dispensmg container structure wherein all acid fluoride components are maintained separate from all alkaline components until used. This improves the shelf-life and stability of all of the ingredients in the dentifrice composition.

The invention thus allows, for the first time, the simultaneous polytherapeutic use of not only stannous fluoride and/ or other active fluoride compounds (with or without an added anti-bacterial agent such as, for example, hexyl resorcinol and/ or hexachlorophene), but also the use of other therapeutic anti-caries ingredients such as urea, dibasic ammonium phosphate, certain anti-enzymes, milk of magnesia, etc. Furthermore, the ultimate in flavoring agents now may be employed as well as the first-rate polishing agent Kaopolite.

Referring now to the drawing, the novel collapsible tube construction preferably employed in the invention is such that the tube contains one or more walls or impermea-ble membranes running longitudinally thereof and at least substantially separating the tube into two or more individual compartments. In the case where a single separating membrane runs the complete length of the tube, two nozzles or orifices are provided as shown in FIGURE 1, wherein the nozzles converge towards a common point. Alternatively, the membrane may extend from the posterior portion of the tube up to exceedingly close proximity with the open inner end of a single nozzle as shown in FIGURE 2.

Still another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGURE 3 wherein there is used an inner smaller tube connected at each end to and disposed the forecoaxially within an outer larger tube, wherein the lengths of the respective tubes are substantially coextensive one with the other, so that the dentifrice compounds within each tube may be mixed simultaneously while being ejected through a common aperture such as a typical threaded nozzle.

Whatever the particular structure of the tube selected may be, it is manifest that the individual compartments may be either the same size or of differing sizes, depending upon the volume and number of the particular dentifrice compounds used. Also, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that combinations and other variations of these structures may be made within the spirit of this invention.

In order to more fully illustrate but not to limit the present invention, more particular reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which corresponding or like parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout.

In FIGURE 1, numeral 1 designates a collapsible tube having a dividing membrane 2. The dividing membrane 2 runs the complete longitudinal length of tube 1, and two converging discharge nozzles 3 and 4 are provided, each of which is mounted on a relatively stiff threaded neck portion 5. In the illustrated embodiment neck 5 is closed at its outer end by end wall 11 to which membrane 2 is attached, and the nozzles 3 and 4- project from openings in wall 11. A cap 12 is provided on neck 5 for covering the discharge openings of the respective nozzles air tight. The membrane 2 thus forms two completely separate compartments 8 and 10, each of which may contain a different toothpaste ingredient or ingredients and each of which is connected to discharge through a separate nozzle 3 or 4.

In FIGURE 2, the dividing membrane 2 extends from the posterior portion 7 of the tube 1 so that it is only in close proximity with (but not abutting) the discharge opening in the interior wall 9 of the neck portion 5 of the collapsible tube 1. In this embodiment materials from the compartments 8 and 10 are mixed during passage through the bore of neck 5.

In FIGURE 3, an inner tube 13 providing compartment 8 is mounted coaxially Within an outer larger tube 14 to provide another compartment 10. There is also provided a key 16 mounted and secured within the posterior portion 7 of tube 1 and adapted to wind and thereby collapse both tubes to expel the ingredients from the respective tubes in a uniform manner. In this embodiment the discharge end of inner tube 13 extends through the bore of neck 5 so that the ingredients are mixed only outside the tube. It is obvious that such a key 16 could be utilized in a like manner for the tubes in FIGURES 1 or 2.

In practicing the invention it will be noted that only one compartment, such as compartment 8 (or compartment 10 if more practical) contains a dentifrice composition consisting essentially of about 0.1 to 0.8 or 1.5% stannous fluoride, e.g., 0.4% stannous fluoride (or other suitable alkali metal fluoride and/ or alkaline earth metal fluoride and/or amine-fluoride such as 9-fluorenamine or 2,7-fluorene-diarnine, etc.), optionally stabilized with about 0.0 to 5%, preferably 0.1 to 3.0%, e.g., 1.5% of stannous metaphosphate, stannous tartrate, stannous citrate, stannous maleate or especially stannous pyrophosphate.

The inclusion of 0.0 to 10.0%, preferably 0.5 to 3.0% e.g., 1.25% of carboxymethyl cellulose, and a humectant such as 0.0 to 50.0%, preferably 10.0 to 40%, e.g., 25% ethylene glycol or especially glycerol, sorbitol, etc., is, in certain instances, advantageous but optional. The use of about 530% water, preferably 8-25% water; e.g., water is desirable, whereas, the presence (or absence) or 010%, preferably, 0.1-5.0%, e.g., 1.0% hexachlorophene is optional.

The second tube compartment, such as compartment 10, may optionally contain additional hexachlorophene (e.g., 5.0%) and/ or the carboxymethyl cellulose and the humectant in the quantities given before, should compartment 8 not contain these materials. Alternatively, the compartments 8 and 10 may each contain approximately half of these materials, or the ratio of these materials, with respect to compartments 8 and 10, may be varied from about 1-5 to 5-1, respectively.

In any case, the second tube compartment will, in all instances, contain all materials which are active in an alkaline medium and/ or more stable in an alkaline medium, but which are reactive with the acid fluoride materials in the first compartment 8. Such alkaline materials include, among others, certain flavoring agents such as peppermint and/or oil of Wintergreen; coloring agents (unless the compartment 8 contains the sole coloring agent or agents); sudsing agents or surface-active agents such as sarcosides, soaps, sulphonates, etc., especially N- lauroyl sarcosinate, sodium lauryl sulphate or sulphonate, sodium N-lauroyl sarcosinate, alkyl (aralkyl and/ or alkaryl) sulphates and/or s-ulfoacenates and/ or sulphonates (e.g., potassium lauryl sulphate and/ or sulphonate), monoglyceride sulphates and/or sulphonates, etc., alkaline earth metal phosphates such as dicalcium or tricalcium phosphates (preferably calcium pyrophosphate), and/or alumina, and/ or colloidal magnesium aluminum silicate, and/or magnesium trisilicate and/or magnesium pyrophosphate, milk of magnesia (i.e., magnesium hydroxide), sodium metaphosphate, calcium carbonate, urea and/or dibasic ammonium phosphate, etc. (and/or certain other dentifrice compounds having a pH above about 7.1) in amounts known to those skilled in the art. The inclusion of fillers, emulsifiers, gums and/or alkali metal salts of alkoxyalkyl cellulose compounds such as (sodium) carboxymethyl cellulose or its equivalent, as well as other common materials used in toothpaste is also optional, but

7 within the scope of the present invention.

As an example, the compartment 10, which is free of acid fluoride materials, may contain, by weight, such components as the followin General Preferred Specific Component Range Range Amount (percent) (percent) (percent) Carboxymethyl cellulose 0-10 0 5-3.() 1.20 Urea. 0-50 10-30 22. 0 Hexaehloropheue 1 0-10 0.3-5.0 1. 50 Glycerine 0-50 10-40 20. 0 Flavoring agents 0.1-8.0 0. 5-3. 0 2.0 Kaolinite polisher 3 0. 2-20. 0 1. 0-4. 0 5. 0 Surfactant (Na-N-lauroyl sarcosinate) 0. 2-10. 0 0.3-5 0 3.0 Abrasive (calcium pyrophosphate) 0. 5-60. 0 20-50 40. 0 Dibasic ammonium phosph 0-60 20-50 35.0 Na lauroyl sulfate 0-5.0 0 l-2. 0 1.0 Lauryl alcohol 0-5 0-1 0. 0 Monoglyceride sulionate-.. 0-8. 0 0. 1-2 0. 8 ater 0-30 6-20 15. 0

1 The use of other anti-bacterial agents (such as hexyl resorcinol in similar concentrations) is also within the scope of this invention.

2 Eg. 1.5% peppermint-0.5% oil of Wintergreen.

3 Or 5.0% non-heat treated dicalcium orthophosphatev It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific procedures, compositions and examples herein described solely for purposes of illustration, but may be carried out in other analogous or equivalent ways without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A collapsible dispensing tube comprising an outer flexible tubular wall closed at one end and formed at the other end with a relatively stiff, externally threaded hollow neck portion, said neck portion being formed at its outer end with an end wall extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of said neck portion, an internal, flexible wall disposed within the space delimited by said tubular wall and being fixed at opposite ends to said closed end and to said end wall to divide the space within said tubular wall into at least two side-by-side longitudinal compartments of predetermined relative volume for containing and isolating bodies of incompatible, fluent materials, said end wall extending across and delimiting corresponding ends of said compartments and having side-by-s-ide, spaced apart apertures opening into said compartments, 2 pair of side-by-side, spaced apart, inclined discharge noz zles formed on said end wall in registry with respective ones of said apertures, said nozzles projecting outwardly from said end wall and converging towards each other, said tubular wall along with said internal wall being adapted to be rolled towards said neck portion to simultaneously discharge the materials in said compartments through said nozzles and toward each other for contact outside of the compartments, and a hollow ca-p adapted to fit over and to be threaded onto said neck portion and cooperating with said end wall to define a confined, substantially air tight space receiving said nozzles.

2. The collapsible dispensing tube defined in claim 1 wherein the material in one of said compartments incorporates an acid fluoride and wherein the material in the other of said compartments incorporates an alkaline compound capable of chemically reacting with said acid fluoride Within a short time after contact therewith, said materials being maintained apart in active condition during storage in their respective compartments and being dispensible through said nozzles for immediate concomitant use before any appreciable reaction takes place.

3. The collapsible dispensing tube defined in claim 2 comprising a key formed rigid with and projecting from said closed end for rolling up said tubular wall.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 ,335 ,912 August 15 1967 Thomas Rosser Reeves, Jr.

error appears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby certified that t the said Letters Patent should read as ent requiring correction and tha corrected below.

In the heading to the printed specification, lines 4 and 5, for "Thomas Rosser Reeves, Jr., Larchmont, N. Y. Colgate- Palmolive, 300 Park Ave., New York, N. Y. 10022)" read Thomas Rosser Reeves, Jr., Larchmont, N. Y., assignor to Colgate-Palmolive Company, New York, N. Y. a corporation of Delaware Signed and sealed this 13th day of May 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, 11'. Attesting Officer *Gnnflfiissioner of Patents 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE DISPENSING TUBE COMPRISING AN OUTER FLEXIBLE TUBULAR WALL CLOSED AT ONE END AND FORMED AT THE OTHER END WITH A RELATIVELY STIFF, EXTERNALLY THREADED HOLLOW NECK PORTION, SAID NECK PORTION BEING FORMED AT ITS OUTER END WITH AN END WALL EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID NECK PORTION, AN INTERNAL, FLEXIBLE WALL DISPOSED WITHIN THE SPACE DELIMITED BY SAID TUBULAR WALL AND BEING FIXED AT OPPOSITE ENDS TO SAID CLOSED END AND TO SAID END WALL TO DIVIDE THE SPACE WITHIN SAID TUBULAR WALL INTO AT LEAST TWO SIDE-BY-SIDE LONGITUDINAL COMPARTMENTS OF PREDETERMINED RELATIVE VOLUME FOR CONTAINING AND ISOLATING BODIES OF INCOMPATIBLE, FLUENT MATERIALS, SAID END WALL EXTENDING ACROSS AND DELIMITING CORRESPONDING ENDS OF SAID COMPARTMENTS AND HAVING SIDE-BY-SIDE, SPACED APART APERTURES OPENING INTO SAID COMPARTMENTS, A PAIR OF SIDE-BY-SIDE, SPACED APART, INCLINED DISCHARGE NOZZLES FORMED ON SAID END WALL IN REGISTRY WITH RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID APERTURES, SAID NOZZLES PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID END WALL AND CONVERGING TOWARDS EACH OTHER, SAID TUBULAR WALL ALONG WITH SAID INTERNAL WALL BEING ADAPTED TO BE ROLLED TOWARDS SAID NECK PORTION TO SIMULTANEOUSLY DISCHARGE THE MATERIALS IN SAID COMPARTMENTS THROUGH SAID NOZZLES AND TOWARD EACH OTHER FOR CONTACT OUTSIDE OF THE COMPARTMENTS, AND A HOLLOW CAP ADAPTED TO FIT OVER AND TO BE THREADED ONTO SAID NECK PORTION AND COOPERATING WITH SAID END WALL TO DEFINE A CONFINED, SUBSTANTIALLY AIR TIGHT SPACE RECEIVING SAID NOZZLES. 